han that you won't find me hard to you on that account.
I shall always remember who helped me when I wanted help."

"I am sure, Mr Rubb, I am much obliged to you."

"Don't talk about being obliged, but get up and give me your hand,
and say it shall be a bargain." Then he tried to take her by the hand
and raise her from the chair up towards him.

"No, no, no!" said she.

"But I say yes. Why should it be no? If there never should come a
penny out of this property I will put a roof over your head, and will
find you victuals and clothes respectably. Who will do better for you
than that? And as for the fight, by Jove! I shall like it. You'll
find they'll get nothing out of my hands till they have torn away my
nails."

Here was a new phase in her life. Here was a man willing to marry her
even though she had no assured fortune.

"Margaret," said he, pleading his cause again, "I have that love
for you that I would take you though it was all gone, to the last
farthing."

"It is all gone."

"Let that be as it may, we'll try it. But though it should be all
gone, every shilling of it, still, will you be my wife?"

It was altogether a new phase, and one that was inexplicable to her.
And this came from a man to whom she had once thought that she might
bring herself to give her hand and her heart, and her money also. She
did not doubt that if she took him at his word he would be good to
her, and provide her with shelter, and food and raiment, as he had
promised her. Her heart was softened towards him, and she forgot his
gloves and his shining boots. But she could not bring herself to say
that she would love him, and be his wife. It seemed to her now that
she was under the guidance of her cousin, and that she was pledged to
do nothing of which he would disapprove. He would not approve of her
accepting the hand of a man who would be resolved to litigate this
matter with him.

"It cannot be," she said. "I feel how generous you are, but it cannot
be."

"And why shouldn't it be?"

"Oh, Mr Rubb, there are things one cannot explain."

"Margaret, think of it. How are you to do better?"

"Perhaps not; probably not. In many ways I am sure I could not do
better. But it cannot be."

Not then, nor for the next twenty minutes, but at last he took his
answer and went. He did this when he found that he had no more
minutes to spare if he intended to return by the 5.45 train. Then,
with an angry gesture of his head, he left her, an